338WM conversion to 458WM

[EDELWEISS]

Im posting this on different sites incase you saw it somewhere else, Soooo I guess Im answer shopping.  Ive got a 338WM that I never would have bought if it wasnt from a friend that was going out of business.  The vultures were circling and offering pennies for his inventory.  Anyway its a Ruger M77 old style tang safety that I prefer.  I should have bought something else from him but this seemed like a good idea at the time, I just cant remember why now.  My hunting is pretty much limited to east coast White Tails and Wild Boar; but I dream of Africa and Alaska. 

My plan is to convert it to 458WM and use it for deer and hogs even though its way over powered, that way it'll become instinctive.  Most of my hunting is in thick woods anyway so I dont need a long range cartridge.

The conversion seems simple enough, and I like that I can have it done in stages to avoid the dreaded "WIFE Tax".  Plus I get to have it made into my own design for a dangerous game rifle.  The cost of the original purchase is long since over, so any money I put into it now is like buying something new.

Whaddaya think???

[bustedknee]

I think all you need to do is rebarrel to 458.  Same bolt.
Maybe pin the action?

I want to know how it turns out.

[qscale]

    I know what you mean, because I have the same idea for my 458. I loaded down to get close to 45-70 loads to use on the smaller animals. I haven't shot them yet, haven't made it to an outdoor range and the indoor one dosen't allow anything that big there, but I'm looking forward to some time behind the sights.

   qscale

[JimP.]

Go to www.ershawbarrels.com, they can install the 458 WM barrel on your rifle without any additional adjustments to the action, all you would have to do is add sights if you want them and inlet barrel channel in stock for mag barrel,  they have done many rifles for me and the rifles are very accurate, you wont regret it go for it...JimP.

[JOE MACK]

Im posting this on different sites incase you saw it somewhere else, Soooo I guess Im answer shopping.  Ive got a 338WM that I never would have bought if it wasnt from a friend that was going out of business.  The vultures were circling and offering pennies for his inventory.  Anyway its a Ruger M77 old style tang safety that I prefer.  I should have bought something else from him but this seemed like a good idea at the time, I just cant remember why now.  My hunting is pretty much limited to east coast White Tails and Wild Boar; but I dream of Africa and Alaska. 

My plan is to convert it to 458WM and use it for deer and hogs even though its way over powered, that way it'll become instinctive.  Most of my hunting is in thick woods anyway so I dont need a long range cartridge.

The conversion seems simple enough, and I like that I can have it done in stages to avoid the dreaded "WIFE Tax".  Plus I get to have it made into my own design for a dangerous game rifle.  The cost of the original purchase is long since over, so any money I put into it now is like buying something new.

Whaddaya think???

Well, I think that if your .338WM has factory open sights, you'd be better off selling it outright. They don't make them like that anymore. Then, you could by something more common to convert. The .338 is a far better rifle for North America IMHO. Ammo is cheaper and more plentiful. Components are cheaper and more plentiful. I also hope that you're not recoil shy. Again, I'd sell the .338 to someone that wants one with open sights and buy a good used .458 that someone bought  but finds it's too much for them. Heck, you might even get a partial box of ammo. Just my two coppers.

JOE

[mcwoodduck]

What do you think about having it re barreled in .450 Marlin.  A little better for the game you want. Rim is the same and the over all bullet is close enough. 
The .338, 264 and 458 all came out the same year and are just necked versions of each other.  the .450 Marlin is just a special version of the .458.  Same base case same size hole but shorter case and more manageable recoil.  You could also get the .458 done and shoot .450's in it.

[Lone Star]

The .338, 264 and 458 all came out the same year and are just necked versions of each other.

Actually the .458 was introduced in 1956 while the .338 and .264 were introduced in 1958.  The latter are based on the .458 necked down.

You could also get the .458 done and shoot .450's in it.

This is incorrect.   The .450 Marlin was specially designed so that it will NOT fit in chambers based on the .458 case.  The .450 belt is longer than that on the .458, you can't close the bolt of a .458 rifle on a .450 case.



.

[mcwoodduck]

Thanks Lone Star Sorry for the bad information But I'm going to look it up in Cartridges of the world.  As the Great Ronald Reagan said.  Trust but Verify.  They look the same as my .338 or .375's But all it takes is a 1000 th of an inch.

[corbanzo]

I wouldn't worry about any complications with it.  Going with the .458 win mag is a good idea.  You can load it down pretty well to have it work for deer and such without much of a problem.  I have some plinker loads for my .458 which hit back about as hard as my run of the mill .30-06 loads. 

[deltecs]

Im posting this on different sites incase you saw it somewhere else, Soooo I guess Im answer shopping.  Ive got a 338WM that I never would have bought if it wasnt from a friend that was going out of business.  The vultures were circling and offering pennies for his inventory.  Anyway its a Ruger M77 old style tang safety that I prefer.  I should have bought something else from him but this seemed like a good idea at the time, I just cant remember why now.  My hunting is pretty much limited to east coast White Tails and Wild Boar; but I dream of Africa and Alaska. 

My plan is to convert it to 458WM and use it for deer and hogs even though its way over powered, that way it'll become instinctive.  Most of my hunting is in thick woods anyway so I dont need a long range cartridge.

The old style Ruger M77 in .338WM with sights is readily re sold for the American market.  It would also function extremely well for Alaskan big game and as a medium rifle for African plains game.  For the additional cost of rebarreling to .458 WM, blueing, rechannel stock for the larger barrel?, one could probably buy another used M77 old style in .458 WM with sights already on it.  I happen to own one that my father used on safari in Africa on 2 separate occasions.  It is most accurate (.75" @ 100, 3 shots) with Woodleigh 480 gr solids and round nose.  This way you can use the .338 WM for instinctive use and still be every bit as familiar with the .458 WM when you are ready to use it.

[CapoWard]

Good comments Greg.  Your recommendation to keep the old style M77 in .338 WM and to search for/purchase another old style M77 in .458 WM should eliminate any issues of hunter’s instinct and brain short circuit in the heat of the hunt.

I have the perception that to many of the “short strokes” in the heat of the hunt with the long magnum cartridges is that the hunter’s instincts have been trained with either a short or standard length cartridge/bolt throw and the brain short circuits the “extra throw” required to recycle the long cartridge/bolt throw.  For myself, I have hopefully eliminated this area of possibility as all of my rifles are M98 standard length action and cartridge length based.

[Gun 4 Fun]

Unless your limited and can't own [read as wife won't let you] another gun, I say go with deltecs idea.My first .338 was a 1983 M-77 sans sights. I prefer the looks of the guns with the blue bolt handle, which is the main reason I don't own any Ruger's now.
If you are limited to the one gun, and don't care for the .338 but like that style of M-77 go for it. You'll always have a conversation starter at the range, and there is just something about a bigbore rifle that is facinating and fun.

[S.E.Ak]

Your gun is hard to beat as is and has everything in the world covered except for the big four in Africa. If you just have to have something different you might be able to re bore the barrel to 35 for sure and maybe 375 cal so your total redo cost will be much less.

[Hank08]

Edelweiss, If you decide to rebarrel, take a look at a Ruger .458 first, you'll notice the .458 barrel is much heavier than your .338.  That's to cut down on the recoil.
Getting used to the .338 wouldn't prepare you for the extra weight of the .458.
I'm speaking from experience.  My .458 weights 8 lbs. nice to carry but it's kicker.
I think Ruger .458 are about 11 or 12 lbs.  If you have a wood stock you'll want to have a recoil lug soldered to your barrel and glassed into the stock and maybe some cross bolts in the stock so it doesn't split.  There's a little more to it than just screwing the .338 barrel out and a .458 barrel in.

[handirifle]

Why not just rebarrel to the 375 Ruger and it will do everything you need? It can also be loaded to mild loads for smaller game.

A 270 Hornady Interlokt at about 2100fps will drop pigs before they know they were hit.  recoil will be very pleasant with that load, compared to a 458.  I push 250gr loads from my Win 94 BB 375 Win, at over 2200fps.  That little rifle barks, but packs a whallop.  I'd imagine a 2100fps 270 from a heavier bolt gun would be in the 30-06 class.  Prob will cost you $300-400 depending on what barrel you buy.  It IS a RUGER after all.  Keep it in the family.

[BS]

Whaddaya think???

What is the length of the action?

You can always shoot .458s in a Lott...........always though the longer case [Lott] would cycle better than the standard .458.......especially if you a talking Dangerous Game rifle.

[daddyof4]

Hey,
 I got both and they are great. Have you considered the 375 Eppstein? It is a 300 win mag necked up to a 375, and it beats the H&H by a little.  Worth what it cost you man.